The life of a rock star isn’t always easy. Even bands working with major labels often have to juggle band duties with “day jobs,” especially early in their careers. Grand Rapids, Mich.-based rock boys Pop Evil know that life. But, with the band’s sophomore album, “War of Angels,” band members were at long last able to focus 100% on their music, without distractions from outside job responsibilities.

“This album was produced by Johnny K, who worked with 3 Doors Down and Megadeth, and we were so excited to work with someone who could help us compete with the big guys,” lead vocalist Leigh Kakaty told the Weekender. “We are finally doing it full time with music being our focal point. This album was the first opportunity to explore our minds musically and focus on that instead of money and working side jobs, which kept us distracted.”

Kakaty says the result is an album that’s close to Pop Evil’s heart. It’s emotional, radical and carries many different shades of sound. “This is an emotional record — we have a variety of songs for all types of people,” Kakaty said. “The direction we go depends on the songs; we want the best hook, the catchiest melodies. We never know which way the album is going until we start developing the songs.

“The album is about the battle we do combat in life, who we want to be as people, what our purpose is in the world … those battles we lead and finding happiness in bad situations that can be challenging for us. It’s about finding our place when we leave this world.”